Teed it up Country Club of Halifax as my 52nd course in my quest to play them all.
The course was a pleasant surprise. A round that likely wouldn’t have happened if the rain stayed away this past weekend. I thought it might be a bit of a throw away round, but it wasn’t.
Sharon CC was my 51st course in my quest to play them all. And my first ten hole course…⠀
Yes, ten holes. ⠀
Trull Brook is a spot I’d recommend to anyone. There are some excellent holes and the greens are very challenging with a lot of tilt and a whole lot square footage. Better bring your lag putting game and distance control with the irons, because long is often dead.
Read MoreSagamore Springs sits on some good land, there just isn’t enough of it on either side of the road that splits the nines. The 3 of the last four holes on the front are short holes. And 3 of the last 5 on the back are short ones. There is also internal OB on holes 12 and 13. The holes are just crammed a bit too tightly together.
Read MoreThe relatively flat land is not going to elicit any great emotions as you walk around Cedar Hill, even the name evoke a flatness. One hill, not hills... The fairways and rough might be mistaken for each other as you play and it’s certainly not a spot to bring some super talented group for two trips around the nine holes.
Read MoreWhat's impossible to overlook is the exceptional set of greens; they are some of the most enjoyable I've played. While they weren't in tip-top shape, the undulations made for interesting approach shots, challenging pitches and chips, and some nerve wracking 2-putts. Shots rolled off of edges both towards and away from the holes. The greens were subtle enough that nothing felt wonky or frustrating. Our entire group had a blast trying to find the right spots on each green. ⠀
Read MoreThe first six holes overall are solid and challenging and you’ll hit all sort of clubs in your bags. The first and third holes are gettable par 5s that can also eat your lunch if you aren’t careful. The fifth hole is probably the best on the Quincy Nine. A semi-blind tee shot offers some leeway right, but a big bunker left will make par tough to find if you find it off the tee. The green is sloped and well protected by bunkers short and steep slopes both right and left.
Read MoreThe most striking thing about New England CC is the land that it's on. The ups and downs all over the course give each hole a very distinct feel. The tree lined course doesn't play as tight as one might think, but once the leaves grow it might be a different ballgame entirely.
Read MoreThis nine holer might not be on your radar, but it should be. For 22 dollars for a non-resident to walk, the price is right and there are some holes that will bring you back. ⠀
Read MorePlayed Weathervane Golf Course on a warm March evening this week. It’s my 38th course in my quest to play them all.
Weathervane is a nine holer that weaves through a housing development and has some good holes and some odd holes.
The odd holes were a product of the tee boxes we played. The black tees here are some of the strangest I’ve seen (we were asked by the guy in the pro shop if we were single digits as we stood on the first tee).
While I didn’t get to see the course on full display because of temporary tees, the greens are really superb. I’m glad they weren’t mid-summer speed because they might have exposed my early season form. It’s a course where local knowledge is worth quite a bit. The false fronts and run offs make choosing the right iron a priority. Even though it’s a 6100 yard par 71, there is challenge on nearly every hole.
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North Hills Third Hole
Sneaking in nine holes on December 13 in 60 degree weather is a gift. I played North Hills CC in Duxbury to tally my 35th new course since June.
The view down the first hole provides a sense of what makes up this nine hole course. The group in front of us walked down the fairway and disappeared into a big swale where most tee shots end up. The up and down nature continues throughout the entire course. The humps and bumps and slopes and swales make the course visually interesting without being gimmicky or tricked-out. The course is also forgiving, always leaving wide spaces off the tee and on your approach for safety.
The greens are challenging, protected by big bunkers, usually framing the left and right side of the green. The third green in particular stood out. A big green at the end of a long par four. The second shot is uphill to a back to front sloping green. Not a green I'd want to see in July.
The first three holes are no joke. Long and challenging, going up and down some big hills.
The fourth and fifth holes provide a glimpse into the tight space they had to build the course. The tee box on the fourth is in striking distance of any tee shot on the temping 290 yard par four.
North Hills had a great feel to it. A course owned by the town, the starter was rocking a Patriots sweatshirt, and the accents were exceptional. As I walked past the first tee toward the parking lot, four high school kids were just teeing off. One of the guys tossed four balls up into the air to make teams. It wasn't something I typically see, and I'd be delighted if it was the last thing I see on a course in 2020.
THE FACTS
Date: December 2020
Playing Partners: Mike, Dan, and Bill
Tees: Back
Game: None
Score: 40
Birdie Count: 0 (42 total)
By far the most interesting thing about the golf course is the bunkering. There are some huge, deep ones on many holes. I’d love to see them built up and restored, because they could be really beautiful and interesting. The green, which were shaggy, were large and had some decent slope to them. They’d be a really solid set of 18 greens at their peak.
Read MoreThe course is just a blast. A par 61 with 11 par 3s and seven par fours that forces golfers to play over, through, and around a cranberry bog.
The red color adds to the visual esthetic of the place and also offers a strange extra mental hurdle because it does come into play quite a bit and looks different than hazards at other courses.
This past June I decided, maybe in some quarantine haze, that I wanted to try to play every single course in Massachusetts. Public, Private, 9-hole, 18-hole, executive/par 3. If it has a tee and a hole with a flag in it, I want to play it.
I managed to get to 35 different courses from June-December. Here’s the top 10.
Read MoreThis past June I decided, maybe in some quarantine haze, that I wanted to try to play every single course in Massachusetts. Public, Private, 9-hole, 18-hole, executive/par 3. If it has a tee and a hole with a flag in it, I want to play it.
I managed to get to 35 different courses from June-December. Here's how they rank.
Read MoreThis past June I decided, maybe in some quarantine haze, that I wanted to try to play every single course in Massachusetts. Public, Private, 9-hole, 18-hole, executive/par 3. If it has a tee and a hole with a flag in it, I want to play it.
I managed to get to 35 different courses from June-December. Here's how they rank.
Read MoreI played Kettle Brook in Paxton on Saturday. It was cold and we chased the sun, finishing in the dark. It is the 31st course in my quest to play them all.
I really enjoyed the course. It has a bunch of interesting holes, the bunkering is great, and the greens were in excellent.
The course has three distinct sections.
Wayland CC is a small one. Short holes and a 6000 yard par 70. I played with a half set, which I recommend to everyone. Makes you think differently from tee to green. Nothing like trying to finesse a 5 iron because you don’t have a 6 iron.
Read MoreHad a great morning at Sandy Burr. It’s a delightful course and my 29th course in my quest to play every course in Massachusetts. The first of two rounds today. 36 on November 10. What a gift.
Sandy Burr course begins with two par 5s and only one par 4 in the opening 5 holes (but par can mean nothing on holes 1-5, too). Holes 6-8are quirky, working through some marshland and giving a bit of a target golf vibe.